US congressional leaders have reached a deal to avoid a March 2 partial government shutdown and fund parts of the government through September 30.
The remainder of the US government, including the Defence and Homeland Security departments, would still face a potential March 23 shutdown.
House and Senate leaders said in a joint statement that Congress would vote in coming days on one week of temporary funding to avoid a Saturday shutdown of parts of the US government.
That interim funding is needed because technical work remains on the package, which has been agreed to in principle. While negotiators haven’t yet agreed on spending for the remainder of the government, the temporary funding also covers those parts of government through March 22.
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office had said that, without an agreement on full-year spending bills, he was prepared to allow a shutdown.
Republicans leaders are backing the deal despite a risk of backlash among conservatives who have demanded new immigration restrictions to avoid a government shutdown.
Republican congressional leaders have instead chosen to hold up emergency funding for Ukraine assistance to wring concessions from President Joe Biden.
The agreement includes funds for the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs and Energy, along with the Food and Drug Administration.
The deal also includes full-year funding for the departments of Interior, Commerce and Justice as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, removing the possibility national parks will close.
The agreement is in line with a US$1.59 trillion overall spending level for fiscal 2024 that Republican and Democratic negotiators agreed to in January.
Funding for the remainder of the government, including the Homeland Security Department, will be tougher to negotiate given disputes over asylum policies at the US southern border continue.
Congress is in what has become a familiar cycle of threatened shutdowns and disruptions. This would be the fourth short-term funding extension in about a five-month span.
Additional reporting by Associated Press